The 924 had originally been a project of VW-Porsche, a joint venture to develop a replacement for the Volkswagen version of the 914. In 1972, development began on the EA-425, intended to be sold as an Audi. Porsche was to manufacture its own version. Volkswagen cancelled the program in 1974 due to financial losses and rising development costs. Porsche then purchased the design and a development mule with a Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection system from Volkswagen, marketing it as the 924. Criticized for its Audi-sourced 2.0 L engine, Porsche decided to develop the 944, building upon the 924’s platform, much like previous generations of the 911.
The 944 debuted with an all-alloy 2,479 cc (2.5 L) inline-four engine, essentially half of the later 928’s 5.0 L V8, though few parts were interchangeable. The four-cylinder configuration was chosen for fuel efficiency and size, as it had to be fitted from below on the production line. To counteract the inherent imbalance of inline-four engines, Porsche incorporated two counter-rotating balance shafts, a feature invented in 1904 by Frederick Lanchester and further developed by Mitsubishi Motors. Porsche licensed the technology from Mitsubishi, paying approximately US$7–8 per car, translating to roughly US$100 for the consumer. The engine was factory-rated at 150 hp in its U.S. configuration. Revised bodywork, including wider wheel arches, a refreshed interior, and upgrades to the braking and suspension systems, completed the major changes.
The 924/944 platform saw success in North America under the SCCA Production Class. In 1984, Rick Hurst Racing’s 944 won all four inaugural endurance races in the S/S GT class. Carlsen Racing won the 1986 SCCA Escort Endurance Series Championship with a 944. David Finch claimed the 1988 and 1989 SCCA GT2 titles driving a 944S. Heavily modified 944s, built by Klym Fabcar with tube-framed chassis, competed in the SCCA Trans Am championship, initially with the Audi 2.0 L engine, later replaced by a tuned Porsche 2.5 L engine capable of up to 750 bhp.
Porsche also initiated a 944 Turbo Cup series in the mid-1980s, with championships in France, Germany, South Africa, Canada, and the United States. Turbo Cup cars featured significant upgrades over their road-going counterparts, including a larger turbocharger, magnesium intake manifold, reinforced transmission, and weight reduction of approximately 272 kg (600 lb). These cars could accelerate from 0–97 km/h (60 mph) in 5.3 seconds and reach a top speed of nearly 274 km/h (170 mph). 192 Turbo Cup cars were produced, with 99 for Canada and 93 for the rest of the world.
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The 944’s success led to the development of the 968, introduced in 1992, based on an evolution of the same front-engine, transaxle platform. The 944 continues to be used in motorsport, with grassroots one-make racing series like the 944 Challenge in Australia and 944 Spec in the United States remaining popular as of 2024.
944: Introduced for the 1982 model year, the 944 offered improved performance, refinement, handling, and comfort compared to the 924. Acceleration from 0–97 km/h (60 mph) was less than 9 seconds.
944 Turbo (951/952): Introduced in 1986, the 944 Turbo featured a turbocharged and intercooled engine producing 220 PS (162 kW). It was the first Porsche production car to utilize a ceramic port liner and featured improved aerodynamics and strengthened components. The 1988 944 Turbo S increased power to 250 PS (184 kW) with a larger turbocharger and revised engine mapping.
944 S: Introduced in 1987, the 944 S featured a high-performance, naturally aspirated 16-valve engine producing 190 PS (140 kW). It was the first 944 to utilize four valves per cylinder, derived from the 928 S4.
944 S2: Introduced in 1989, the 944 S2 featured a 3.0 L version of the 16-valve engine, producing 211 PS (155 kW). It was the largest production four-cylinder engine of its time.
944 S2 Cabriolet: Introduced in 1989, the Cabriolet version was built by ASC. Production for 1989 was limited, with only 16 cars produced for the US market.
944 Turbo Cabriolet: Unveiled in February 1991, the 944 Turbo Cabriolet combined the Turbo S’s engine with the cabriolet body style. 625 were built, none imported to the U.S. or the Americas.
A total of 163,192 cars in the 944 family were produced between 1982 and 1991, making it the most successful sports car in Porsche’s history until the introduction of the Boxster/Cayman and 997 Carrera.
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